Trust Me, I'm All You've Got
by musichangover
Summary: Life used to be so simple. Now it's so much more. RYRO
1. Chapter 1

_**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the X-Men. **_

_**Trust Me, I'm All You've Got **_

_Chapter 1_

Looking outside the window of her small apartment, Marie gazed at the outsides of New York at night. It was around eight. People filled the busy streets outside. Bright lights from lampposts and shops shone outwards. Yet inside her apartment, it was dead quiet.

She turned around, and glanced slightly at the person on her couch. He was out cold. Had been for the last few hours. His clothes were messed up and dirtied and ripped. His hair was wet and messy as well. His one arm was covered in a small bandage, and it's sleeve was drenched darkly with blood. He looked so calm, from what she saw. He didn't even know she had taken him in. That's what worried her. As she looked on outside at the loud city, she could estimate over five people, maybe ten perhaps though she hadn't thought of it much, would disagree to let the person on her couch even five feet from her. Yet there they were. And she knew that if the other people would find out, she'd be in deep trouble, and the person on her couch would practically die.

But it didn't matter. She didn't really care about what the other people think or would think. She just folded her arms and walked into her room, carefully closing the door behind her.

xXx

Next morning.

Nine o'clock. The blue curtains were shut tight, but some source of light still managed to pass through and light the dimly lit room. The lights had been shut off from the night before. The couch wasn't that comfortable. It was lumpy and hard rather than soft. It woke him up with an aching back. Pyro sat up, and looked over his bandaged arm. There was a blanket on him, which he disregarded on the floor. He looked around the tiny living room. There wasn't much of anything anywhere. There were boxes filled with junk everywhere. There was just the couch, a rug, one table and a chair. There was a laptop on the chair. No picture frames. Nothing. He stood up, bent down and picked up the blanket, throwing it back on the uncomfortable couch, and walked around the tiny space. He found the first door, and opened it.

If there was one place he'd never want to be it was in her company. Her. She was asleep on her bed, blankets messed up all over her. There wasn't much of anything in this room either. The curtains were wide open, drenching her in sunlight, yet her eyes were closed and her pale face emotionless. She was so quiet. So peaceful. He leaned on the door, and looked around. The light above was broken. It's bulb was out in the open, cracked. The walls were covered in faded green paint. Her bed was for one person only, and the small cabinet was open, her surplus clothes bulging in it. He continued to watch her sleep. Then after what he guessed was twenty minutes – there was no clock in sight – he turned and left. He was at the door when he heard loud footsteps, and in a rush, she was at the bedroom door.

"John."

He turned to her silently. Was she expecting something? A 'good morning' or a 'hello'. He didn't care about her. Not anymore. He didn't even want to speak a word to her.

"You…you shouldn't go anywhere," she said finally, breaking the silence. It was only then that he realized her attire. It was a long jersey, so long it came to her knees. She wasn't wearing anything else, but her hair seemed so perfect it was impossible that she'd just woken up.

"Why?" he said, unable to not dignify the statement with a response. Yet he made sure to keep his tone emotionless, even with a tad of hostility.

"There are a lot of people around. If they see you they'll call the cops." She didn't go on but he understood.

"So, what am I suppose to do?" he asked her gruffly.

"I don't know," she said softly, folding her arms. "Stay here?"

He didn't reply. Then she moved to the even tinier kitchen, which made up part of the living room and opened the fridge. Then she looked at him.

"Do you want anything?" she asked.

"Why are you trying so hard to help me?" he demanded suddenly.

It hurt too much to be in the same room as the woman he had tried to forget. He had successfully even done so, and now here he was, in her apartment. He had liked her. Tried to befriend her on the first day. Stuck to her from then on. He would've even probably asked her out if the Ice Prick of a bestfriend he used to have didn't beat him to the punch. She was something he had wanted badly. Wanted badly to care about. And that itself was something rather rare with him. He didn't care about people that much, if not at all. He didn't bother, knowing that they wouldn't ever return the caring. He disregarded people's pathetic attempts to befriend or care about him, because he knew it all came from pity or fear, not from the heart. It wasn't as though that many people ever cared for him anyway. Why should they? He was a good for nothing, good at nothing bastard who was obsessed with fire and had the temper that could flare up as fast as lightning. Oh, plus the side of him that was a true jackass, with a stick of sarcasm up his ass, as he used to put it. He was okay with that. It was who he was. People would just have to deal with it.

"Because you're my friend, John," she said timidly, straightening up and looking at him with her deep, beautiful, brown eyes.

"You're only friend, huh?" he replied, not forgetting to add a lot of intended hurt in his voice. He wanted her to feel pain. The pain he went through all his life, plus the extra pain he bore after he met her. He took a step forward. "Am I your only friend, Rogue?" he asked her in a mock-innocent voice. "So you bestow pity on me?" He looked at her expressionless features. "Do you hope that we're going to be best friends forever?!"

Silence.

He walked away to the door, then turned to her instantly.

"I hope you feel the pain I felt."

He turned back.

"Then leave me in my pain then!" she screamed at him. He turned to her. She was breathing harshly. Her hair had come infront of her face. "Leave. Just leave. It's what you want, John. You always leave."

"I left because of you!" he screamed.

It wasn't that true. He left because he was tired of the worthless school and X-Men he had been siding with. Tired of their lack of power. He had potential. Magneto had noticed that. So, do the math, and he left with the guy. The only part Rogue played in it was that she was the hardest, and only thing that was hard to leave. She was the ball and chain keeping him in that place even though he was so desperate for out. It was hope. Hope that one faithful day, she would be his. And if you asked him, hope was the worst kind of torture. The patience he had spent that had no coming.

She looked up at him. "Sorry," she said quietly.

"Don't be," he muttered, his tone and mood switching instantly. He looked at her, his expression softened slightly. "Look." Pause. "Why'd you even bother taking me in? If I'm found here, you're in trouble too."

"I thought…" She tucked her strands behind her ear, but they fell out once more. It was kind of cute. He looked at her intently. "I wasn't thinking. You were hurt. Unconscious. I just…I didn't want them to catch you. I didn't want them to hurt you."

"And the X-Men? What'd they say?"

"They don't know." He watched as she looked everywhere but at him with discomfort. It struck him hard. She had actually not told the X-Men about him. For once, he was of more importance than them, who were her so-called friends. He was more important. More valued. Had they done something? And just then, as though she was reading his mind, she said, "They didn't do anything. I just didn't tell them."

He nodded, rubbing the back of his head with his hand. "How…how are you?" he asked, not knowing what to say. It was obvious that he wasn't about to stalk out of the place.

"Fine," she replied quietly. "You?"

"All right. Around as all right as possible."

She nodded. "Did I really make you leave?" she asked after some more awkward silence.

"No. I lied. I was…Rogue you hurt me."

"I know." She looked at him. "When I stopped you from blowing up those cars, I saw and I felt you're pain. I just…couldn't return the affection. I loved Bobby."

His turn to nod. Then it came to him. 'Loved'. "Past tense," he noted.

"We're over," she informed him.

"You took the cure," he said. "You took the cure and he couldn't deal? Or did he get bored? Knew he would…"

"Like you wouldn't have," she muttered. "Everyone gets bored, John. I just pushed them farther away by taking the cure," she added, coming closer to him. He took a step forward. "I took a big risk, and lost everything."

"Risks are meant to be taken," he said, taking a few more steps forward, now so close to him. "I care. Are you willing to take the risk of me?"

"I don't know…I can't believe that you care," she said honestly, looking up at him.

"I wished I could show you," he said softly, taking her by the chin and kissing her deeply. The kiss grew from both ends. His hands held her gently from the back and hers on his shoulders. He backed away for a moment. "But you can't see it, can you?" he asked. She smiled slightly, and kissed him back, and this kiss grew larger and lasted longer. Then he felt inside his pocket for his lighter. Nothing. He felt in all his pockets while they kissed. Still nothing. He backed up once more. "Do you have my lighter?" She shook her head. He backed up a step and rampaged through his pockets and clothes. Nothing at all. "Do you have a match?"

She nodded and took out the box of matches from the drawer. He lit one in a swift movement, and stared at it. It didn't even flinch. It was the same. It didn't do anything but burn more and more on the matchstick. He blinked to make it grow. Nothing. He slightly twitched one eyes to make it separate. Nothing. He tried hard and concentrated deeply to make it just disappear, but it wouldn't budge. Then, as it grew near to the end he was holding, he did the only thing he could do. He blew it out.

"John…?" she asked him.

He didn't look at her. He just dropped the match. His powers. His powers were the strongest part of him. He took great pride in them. At times they were the only things he could control and take solace in when things went bad. To manipulate fire. It made him feel good. Feel powerful. Feel Pyro. But now…now it was gone. Was it gone? Nothing happened to the fire. It didn't even grow, increase, disappear or split. It didn't even lessen or shrink. He felt as though the world was shrinking around him. Then he felt Rogue's soft, bare hands on his.

"Johnny?" she asked, her tone sweeter, kinder, with affection and care. He looked at her.

_How…?_

_**Review. Please…??**_


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thanks for the reviews...**

_**Trust Me, I'm All You've Got **_

_Chapter 2_

He retracted his hands from hers. It was too shocking. He had been built up as Pyro, the one who controlled the whim of fire and made it dance around at his pleasure. Filled with potential and power, enough to destroy armies. Strong and unbeatable. A warrior. And now…he didn't really know what was happening. Was this some sickness or something? Or…or had someone cured him?

"Do you feel dizzy?" Marie asked him at random. He turned to her. "Do you – or did you – feel dizzy?"

"Uhm…" he said, closing his eyes and looking around, trying to remember. He turned around, then turned back to her. "I don't know…earlier, maybe…"

She nodded. "Arm," she said. He stuck out his injured one, but she shook her head and pulled forward his other arm with subtlety. She pulled up his long sleeve, up to his elbow and held it palm up. The area of his elbow had a bandage on it. She felt it lightly with her fingers, and he jerked his arm back in pain.

"What was that for?!" he demanded. "Am I…was I…cured?!"

She nodded solemnly, looking down and avoiding his pain-stricken eyes.

"CURED?!" he yelled loudly. "What…?!" He ran his hand through his hair and kept walking around, trying not to stop moving. If he did, everything would come back slowly to his mind and would stab his brain with the fact that he, John, Pyro, a Warrior, had been turned into a weak, defenseless human.

Marie rushed to him. "John!"

"Pyro!" he said, his fury rushing up. She saw it in his eyes. "It's Pyro."

"_Pyro_," she said, her defense against using his mutant name crushing into bits. "Calm down. It'll be all right…"

"All right? _All right?!_ What _all right?!_ I'm _human_! I can't be human!"

"Humanity isn't so bad, you know!" Marie yelled back, trying to conquer the height of his voice. He fought back.

"To you! You _want_ to be normal! Being who I was – that was the only thing I had that I cared about! The only thing I found important about myself! A reason for my worth! Now I'm _nothing_!"

"How can you say that?! Magneto's poisoned your mind, John! Yeah! You're John. Not Pyro! _Pyro_ is your mutant name. An _alias_. John is _who you are_! You've lost the wall that seperates Pyro and John!"

"I wanted to! John was the reminder of everything I _didn't have_ and everything I _wasn't_! Everything I would _never have_ and everything I would _never be_! Pyro was something I was good at. Something I actually took pride in as my work!"

"What – the work to be an emotionless attacker with no purpose?! A rebel without a cause?! A killer?! Is that what you take pride in, John?! Hurting people you think outcasted you?! You're outcasting them! You don't have to be accepted to find your worth! You just have to know it!"

"Easy for you to say! You…you had and currently have everything. _Brains_. _Looks_. _Friends_. _People who loved and cared about you_. For whatever short matter of time."

"Someone to care?! Is that what you want?! What you think you had at the Brotherhood?" He moved away but she countered his action and came infront of him. "Nobody there cared about you!"

"But they showed me respect! They noticed me!"

"Yeah – as something to fear!"

"You don't get it…I'm Pyro. That's all."

"Then I guess Pyro can't have Marie, huh?" she asked quietly. It was in the rush of things that they ended up back in the present topic of them.

He wanted her to be his. Something he'd always wanted. She wanted him as well. She cared. But she couldn't care for Pyro. For the man who killed and hated mutants with every being of himself.

"I care about you," he said, quieting down. "I really do. I always have. I've always wanted to be the one you smiled at when you saw. The one you hugged and stuck close to on cold, snowy nights. The one who'd make you happy. Make you smile. I wanted to be someone who you could love." Then his gaze turned dark. "But I'm Pyro."

"All you want," she said, coming closer, "can only be accomplished as John. John's the one who cares."

"Pyro's the one who wants to protect you with his life."

"John's who I want."

"Pyro's who I am." He stalked to the door.

"Oh, and by the way," she said, turning to him, her voice slightly cracking and her eyes slightly watery. "Those friends you say I have? I don't have them anymore."

She turned away and started to fold the blanket she had put on him the night before. The opened door, his hand on its handle…he shut it and then saw as her reaction spill out. She thought he had left, and then dropped the blanket, and supported one arm on the other, covering her eyes with her hand. She shook slightly as she cried. She was crying softly though. He walked slowly to her, and she turned around, tears falling down her cheeks. He took her tightly in his arms and pushed her closer to his chest. She could hear his heartbeat, which was racing. He placed on hand on her silky hair, and one around her back. She held on to him with both hands on his back, tugging them in a way not to let go. She cried softly into his chest.

"I'm willing to change…for you," he breathed close enough for her to hear.

She smiled slightly and looked up at him, his lips finding place on hers, letting their kiss grow with power and energy and heat, just as he would've to fire. That was another problem. Now he had what he wanted. He was going to take things one at a time. Their kiss grew longer and longer, then he could feel the lumpy couch, and her hands ruffling through his hair.

xXx

A loud beeping noise could be heard. It echoed and became louder within each ring. Pyro nearly fell out of the bed at the awakening call. It was somewhere around the afternoon, and he and Marie were stuffed up in her bed, under the thick, huge covers. Her eyes bolted open and she jumped out of the bed in his shirt, and pulled out the beaten alarm clock from under the bed. Her hair fell to her face as she grinned and blushed at the same time, sitting back on the bed. He sat up and kissed her lightly on the cheek. She held up the clock and showed it to him. It was around two in the afternoon.

She got up instantly and rummaged through her cupboard for something to wear. Finally able to find something, she disappeared out of the room. He followed her, no shirt because she was wearing his, and found his shirt thrown onto the couch. He picked it up and put it on. She exited the bathroom, tying up her hair then pulling on her socks. She pecked him on the lips.

"I have to get to work," she said quickly, looking around for her bag. She finally found it. "Get something to eat from the fridge. I'll bring take-out for dinner. Chinese?"

He smiled, nodded, and took her by the hand for one moment, then leaned in once more and kissed her. "You're what I've always wanted."

"I know," she said, blushing. Then she turned away and left in a rush.

xXx

John watched the door shut, then turned instantly. He rubbed his arm where the injury was.

"_Hey! You're that kid…the one with Magneto, right?" _

_It was a yell from meters away, and Pyro, already way past exhaustion, stopped, and lazily turned around, a look of doubt and caution on his face. He'd been walking non-stop for the past few days in all kinds of conditions; rain and heat, whatever. He hadn't had anything to eat for a couple of days, and he couldn't risk stopping to rest. If he did someone might notice him and arrest him or worst. And now, on top of all the bad things happening to him since he just managed to escape from Alcatraz, someone was calling him. He was tired. No point in running away. He had turned away to meet the friend or foe._

_He turned out to be a dusty looking guy with wounds all over and ripped clothes. _

"_I said, you're that kid with Magneto, right?" he repeated, speaking louder. He had a crazed look in his eyes. They were rather bulging. _

"_Yeah," Pyro muttered. "What's it to you?" he demanded, his attitude kicking in._

"_You're boss," the newcomer said, pointing at him and walking forward. "Promised us victory, riches and all that shit that'll kick the crap outta humanity. And instead, the island is nearly blown up, more than three-quarts of the brotherhood reduced to ash, and six measly little goody-two-shoes end up the heroes and winners. I think you owe me a little compensation."_

_Despite the exhaustion, Pyro chuckled. "Do you really think I care?" He turned around once more and continued walking._

"_I was cured, y'know?" the man said from behind him. "A fate I never thought would happen and one I intend on sharing with you." _

_The words registered to him a little too late and he turned around instantly. The man was on top of him, and he was trying hard to block away the injection he was holding like a knife. He pushed him off and kicked him away, managing to stand up. He was near railings a foot high, which would enter a small hill, that in turn would lead into a muddy forest. Then the man, up and angry, ran at full speed, and tackled him over the small railings, and down the hill. He punctured him in the elbow, and managed to hold on to a strong tree root. Pyro rolled down, unable to find the will to try and stop himself, and instead, he hit many things, and finally ended up down, out cold, half in the midst of dirt, soil and leaves, half in the midst of mud. _

Pyro clenched and unclenched his hand over an invisible lighter. It must have fell out when he rolled down. Then he closed his eyes and tried to remember.

_He had started to slow come to consciousness, then he heard footsteps. He looked up, his eyesight blurry and found a laughing figure. He reached forward for his lighter, but it was picked up. The lid was flicked open and shut. _

"_Pyro want his lighter?!" the man yelled in his ear. He pulled back his arm. "Go and get it!" He threw it far. Far beyond and the only thing Pyro could hear was a blop! of a sound as it fell into a nearby lake. The lake led on to a waterfall, which would end up leading somehow into the sea. Obvious. No point. It was gone. Then he felt a kick to the gut, and continuous ones to follow. Then he went out cold again. He was too tired._

John clenched his hand fully. He pulled up his shirt, and found the blue marks of kicks. There were a couple of cuts, bandaged up. One thought. Rogue. She did that. She took care of him. Cared about him. He had meant what he said earlier. She was what he'd always wanted. True. With that in mind, he tried to forget the others things. Tried.

Now there was the two of them. Both human. She was all he had. And like heck if he was gonna let her slip away. He walked to the fridge, and open it, looking inside for something to eat. Damn, was he hungry.

He liked her if not loved her. But despite that, a side of him was bitter with resentment. Not intentionally at her, but at general. Everything, except Rogue, was against him. At the moment he couldn't deal. He'd deal with it later. Yes. Later. For now he'd do his best to ignore the stinging pain inside. Hopefully he could.

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	3. Chapter 3

_**Trust Me, I'm All You've Got **_

_Chapter 3_

Marie slid the knob with her elbow. Her arms were filled with groceries and some Chinese take out. She pushed it open with her leg, and it swung into darkness. The lights were out and she sighed. No sign of John. Had he left? Forgotten entirely about their afternoon together? She placed the bags on the counter, and flicked on the light. Still no sign of him.

But she knew herself. She knew that if she thought immediately about him, about the possibility that he was gone, she would falter. Her entire being would just drop down out of disappointment and sadness_. In other words_, Marie thought, _I'm dead low on happiness._ She opened the cabinets and started stacking in the food she had just bought. Not spending on much furniture meant that she had more to spend on food. And having given the subject much thought, she kept it that way.

"What, not even a 'hello'?" came a voice.

Marie whipped around so fast that some of her hair fell across her face. There he was, leaning on the bedroom doorway. He looked bad. Perhaps worse. His condition seemed horrible. He looked so dead. As though the life force had been sucked out of him. His gaze was emotionless. Even a little disconnected. Then he softened as much as he could, and took a deep breath. "Sorry."

"You okay?" she asked unsurely, stopping her current actions. She focused entirely on him.

"I tried, Rogue." She didn't bother correcting him. He went on and straightened up. "I tried. I tried not to think about it. To look at the good side, as you people tend to do. And guess what. Besides you, there isn't much. I tried to live without my powers. Without my lighter, which in a way is _tied_ to my powers. I _can't_. I can't _deal_. I can't _be_…human. _Powerless_. _Weak_."

"I don't think you're weak. Being human doesn't make you weak. It makes you…human." She folded her arms and walked towards him.

"I'm just not used to it."

"The power corrupted your mind. Made you a robot. Emotionless fighter. Non-stop killing machine. Being human. Being John again, it's gotten rid of that feeling of power. It's taken away the ignorance. Hasn't it?"

He looked at her intently. "Yeah."

"How does it feel?" she asked. "To no longer be Pyro?"

"Horrible." One short reply filled with oh, so much more behind it. It told her he was in pain. Regret. He was powerless and felt that the world had closed in on him and taken everything away. And given him her. But was she good enough…or was he telling her she wasn't?

"You'll be all right," she said finally after the moments of silence. He nodded silently, but she understood that he was doubtful, maybe even stuck in disbelief. "John…" she went on, taking his hands in hers. He jerked them back.

"I can't be…_John_. I've given up _John_. Tried to _forget_, _erase_, _get_ _rid of_ John." He took deep breaths and sat down. "I can't just let all that emotion back in, Rogue. It's not who I am."

"Being heartless is what could've destroyed you."

"Having emotions of care and love is what _can_ destroy me."

"So you want to give them up?" she asked him, sitting down as well. He looked at her.

"No." Pause. "I don't. I've waited so long. Battled the facts and the fiction in my head. The fantasy and reality. I have you now. We're us. I don't want to give that up."

"John," she said, turning to him once more. "Trust me." He looked into her deep brown eyes and could've sworn that at that moment, he could've lost himself in them. She smiled slightly. "You'll be fine." She held on to him tighter. "_We'll_ be fine." Then her eyes connected with his. "I don't want to lose you either."

He leaned in and kissed her once more.

Then he backed away. "Do you trust me?"

"Yeah," she breathed.

"Good." He kissed her twice. Then thrice. And so on.

xXx

Marie rummaged through a box shoved into her stuffed cabinet. She pulled out a few picture frames, then searched through them. Her and her old friends. Academy people. She found the one she was looking for, and placed the others back in the box, and therefore, gave it a firm kick back into the cabinet. It was a picture of her and John. They were laughing. His lighter was in the picture too. She couldn't help but laugh at that. Then she felt his arms wrap around her waist, and his chin rest on her shoulder lightly.

"Huh. Not bad."

He gazed down at the picture. He remembered that day. He remembered that he used to call those days 'The Before Bobby Era of Goodness'. Made him laugh. It was before Marie and Bobby had gotten together. He was her friend. They were wrestling for his lighter. And he could remember loving the attention. Being that close to her as they fought carefully and cautiously. He loved being the first person to get that close to her. To make her feel comfortable at the Academy. Not some outcast or whatever.

In the picture he was behind the couch with her, and he was trying to reach for the lighter, which she was holding out before her chest as far as she could. She was wearing long sleeves, so he could touch her sides with his arms, as he tried to reach for his very beloved possession. She was grinning as her hair was in falling down her face, and he had a mixture of fun and annoyance of a look on his face. Both of them were slightly laughing.

"Remember?" she asked softly, leaning her head to lie on his.

"Ofcourse," he said simply, kissing her shoulder. "The simpler days."

She looked at him for a moment. "Life used to be so simple." Then she smiled, and hugged his arms under hers. "Now it's so much more." Then her smile grew even wider and she closed her eyes. "I like it," she said, voice filled with pep, energy and love. "I like it a lot."

"Me too," he murmured, raising his head, and pulling her closer. She giggled slightly.

It was nearly sundown, and the room was beginning to darken due to the lack of light bulb.

Marie tried once more. "Johnny?" she asked intently, voice soft and filled with emotion.

It was a long silence. He just held on to her, and she laid her head back onto his chest. They swayed slightly for a few moments in the silence, enjoying the company. She could feel his warmth despite the loss of his powers, and it was good. He was just so warm, in a good way. _So he was always this way…_she found herself thinking happily.

Then, as she began to relax in his arms through the silence and warmth, he finally spoke up.

"Yeah?"

She smiled._ Johnny…_

xXx

"Friday…thankfully…" Marie stretched on her way out of the bedroom, and bent down over the couch.

"Hey, baby," John said, waking up, and looking up at her contentedly. "Morning."

"Morning," she whispered. Then she got up and walked to the fridge, opening it and pulling out a carton of milk. She pulled out two bowls and spoons from a cupboard and a box of cereal too.

There was a sudden loud knocking on the door. Loud enough to wake up the dead. But it wasn't hard force, but minimal and quick. Marie turned to the door, the redness in her cheeks disappearing within the moment. John too had turned to the door instantly. The knocking continued, and got louder and more frequent. Marie quickly stowed away the extra bowl and spoon, and rushed to him, forcing him into the bedroom. She closed the door securely from behind her and rushed to open the door.

She sighed and calmed down at the sight of who it was. Ororo Munroe. Storm. The weather goddess gave Marie a kind smile.

"Can I talk to you for a minute?" Storm asked, her voice more serious and less happy.

"Sure," Marie mumbled, taking a step outside at Storm's gesture and shutting the door.

xXx

"Pyro!" a loud, booming voice called. In jumped Callisto, to whom he turned in somewhat shock.

"You're dead," he deadpanned.

"Sure. As though I can't play dead." Callisto cocked her head to one side and smiled slightly. "Magneto sent me." Pause. "Guess what," she said, smiling mischievously, "they found a way to reverse the cure. The Brotherhood – what's left of it anyway – they're re-assembling. He said to call you. Only I could. But I couldn't sense your power. So I told him. He was worried. Then someone said that someone that used to be part of the Brotherhood kicked your ass and cured you of your powers. That really disappointed the boss. So he said to call you. You're one of his best warriors. He wants you at base by tomorrow night. Oh, but he did torture the jackass who dared to mess with his beloved little masterpiece of power."

The news hit him hard. A chance to recover his powers. His old life. The shot of power that bolted up his arms and around his body in a matter of seconds once he took hold of fire. Everything he loved about his life before. The power, the action, the thrill. The danger.

"No." His voice was low and his emotions showed that this was difficult of him to say.

Even Callisto couldn't believe it. "No?" she echoed.

"No. I'm…done. Done."

"You're kidding, right?" she asked. He didn't answer. "_Right?"_

He shook his head numbly. He couldn't believe it. Had he just said no?

She looked at him, and then shifted slightly. "Why?" she demanded. "I thought you'd be the first to come back, happier than ever, ready to kick some human ass. What's _weakened_ you? _Changed_ you?" she asked deeper, staring at him in his eyes. She could tell emotion. And she hated seeing it in people's faces. In their eyes. She gasped then gave him a look of utter dislike. "No…" Pause. "Is Pyro _in love_?" she said, cringing at the sound of the words. She turned to the floor, where she picked up a picture. John's picture with Marie. "Her?" She looked up. "Who is she?"

"No one. Human. That's it."

Callisto looked at him and studied the features on his face. Then she took a deep breath, dropped the picture on the bed, and readied to climb out the window.

"Magneto will be most displeased."

John stuffed his hands in his pockets. He glanced at the ground, then instantly looked up.

"I know."


	4. Chapter 4

_**Trust Me, I'm All You've Got **_

_Chapter 4_

"What's wrong?" Marie asked. Storm looked a little hesitant.

"I know, Marie," Storm said seriously. "I know about John."

Everything seemed to stop for a moment as she took that in. Her worries and fears hit her straight in the mind and the heart, triggering both forms of ache and pain. What would happen? Would they take him away? Send him to jail?

"I've always wanted to give him another chance. I've always wanted him to want another chance. To change," Storm then added. "It's hard to lose a student, or someone you know that far. To lose them to the other side. To Magneto's purpose. John's changed, hasn't he?" Rogue folded her arms, and her head hung slightly as she nodded. "Look. You should be happy. Logan doesn't know anything."

"How did you know?" Marie asked quietly. "How did you know about John?"

"You were a good student. You used to be part of the team." Storm sighed. "I – well, it was Logan's idea – but someone's been watching you ever since you left."

Marie was dumbfounded. Her manner changed to a defensive one.

"What?" she asked, shocked. "You had someone follow me? Monitor everything I do?!"

"Logan's idea. Think about it. It was a good one. Made sure you were okay. No one would hurt you. Just make sure you were doing fine." Storm tried to look impartial and act as though the whole thing wasn't anything to really fret about. No such luck.

"Who's been following me?"

"Doesn't matter."

"Doesn't matter?! Doesn't matter?! I've been watched. I didn't need to be watched! I needed a life of my own! What…you didn't think I'd be able to make it in the real world? I'm not a child, Storm! You know I can take care of myself!"

"I know, I know…" Storm murmured in agreement. "At first I was hesitant…but Logan…"

"I don't care," Marie said suddenly. She left it at that and looked down at the floor. She was rather affected. Hurt even. "What do you know?"

"Logan knows you have a job, taking rent well, eating okay, living okay, blah blah. He knows you've stopped school." Pause. Storm took a deep breath. "I know you've been living with John or technically, John's been living with you. I know you found him on your way back into town from your parent's house. I know that they said that you could come live with them now that you were 'normal'. I know you practically tore the roof down with your voice when the three of you had a fight over what was 'normal' and mutant things. I know that you took John in. I know that the two of you are together. I know that you care about him so much." Then she stopped once more to go over what she had said. Happy with it, she continued, "You stopped school? Why?"

"No time," Marie said shortly.

"What do you mean 'no time'?"

"I mean 'no time'. There's no more of a meaning to it. That's it. I _will_ get back to it once I've taken care of everything and everything's calmed down."

Storm nodded. "You'd better." Then she smiled slightly. "You really care about him, don't you?"

"Weirdly enough, I really do…" Marie smiled too.

Storm leaned onto the wall, and said simply, "There's a reverse for the cure. Magneto found it. He's rounding up the Brotherhood again. Sooner or later, he'll send someone for John." Then she looked at Marie. "Are you sure he won't leave you?"

Marie didn't answer.

"I just don't want you to get hurt, okay? I'm warning you now so you can warn him. I'm also just warning you." Pause. "Maybe you'll find out you don't really trust him after all." Storm straightened up. "I'll keep in touch." Then she straightened her collar, smiled and left the building.

Marie folded her arms tighter in discomfort, and opened the door. John turned to see her. He was running his right hand through his hair in agitation, and opened his mouth to speak the minute she closed the door.

"Magneto's found a reverse for the cure," he said unsurely.

"I know."

"They asked me to come back to the Brotherhood," he added, watching her for reaction.

"And…?" she said after a few minutes, her insides turning numb.

"I'm not going."

Marie sat down and looked up at him. "What did you say?" she asked in disbelief.

"I'm not going."

"Really?" she asked. She still couldn't get it. John just offered a chance to be Pyro again and turning it down? This was impossible. Everything pointed against this.

"If this is what I have to give up, then so be it," he said, a little impatient and annoyed at her disbelief in him. "I've lost my powers, my lighter and my freedom. I walk into that city and get glanced at by any sort of authority and I'm dead. I don't want to lose you."

"So you're not leaving?" she asked.

"Is that so hard to believe?"

"Truthfully," she said hesitantly, "yes. I haven't had the best luck in relationships, Johnny. I guess that the fact that _you_, of all people, are willing to do this _is_ unbelievable."

"What's that suppose to mean?!"

"Nothing…I just…"

"Rogue! I care about you! I thought you'd know that by now!" he said, almost outraged.

"I know!" she added, standing up and following him as he started to walk around the room. "But I just thought that you'd go back since they could give you your powers. You _loved_ your powers."

He turned to her and came up so close that their chests were merely inches away from each other.

"I love you more."

Silence…

"Apparently, you never thought that was possible." He sighed and backed away slightly. "What'd you think our relationship was, anyway?"

She shifted uncomfortably. "I don't know. Too good to be true? It's not as though I don't care…John…it's just…so unbelievable, at times I think I've gone crazy and I'm making this whole thing up in my head…"

"Well…" he said, sitting down. She stood far behind the couch and watched as he buried his face his in his hands, unable to think of anything else to say.

"It's going to take time, John," she said loudly from behind him. "I just…need time."

"Time to what, think?"

"Yeah. Maybe."

He got up. "You hurry up with that," he said suddenly, opening the door. He stepped outside.

"Where are you going?" she asked instantly, rushing to him.

"Magneto won't like that I didn't agree to come back," he stated. "Since you're not sure of how you feel about me…then I can't risk him hurting you." He started down the hallway as she watched, unable to do anything but hold the tears back until he was gone. And when he was, there seemed to reason to keep doing so.

xXx

Two days later.

"Following me?!" Marie screeched at Logan outside the Academy where he had just drove into on his motorbike. He parked it into its place, turned off the ignition, and got off.

"What?" he asked her.

"You've been sending someone to watch me?! Follow me?!" she repeated.

He bit his bottom lip as he thought how to answer this. Without much hesitation, he said directly, "Yeah."

"Why?!" she demanded. "Logan, I don't need someone to make sure I'm all right. I can take care of myself."

"Ah. Now see, you think that." He stood up next to her. "I don't. Or to say, we don't. Meaning me and Storm."

"She said it was just you," Marie said darkly.

"Fine," Logan said. He started to walk to the door. He turned to her. "It was me. I don't think you're all right, Marie. I think you still need help. When did Storm tell you?"

"Two days ago," Marie said quietly.

"Damn, we had an agreement," Logan murmured as he opened the door. Marie shut it quickly.

"Stop it. Call whoever you have tailing me and tell them to get lost."

"I only care," he said, trying to sound as honest and sincere as he could.

"I know. So back off for a while and see what I really need." She started to walk away, then turned back and started to walk backwards. "Logan, I'm not a child. I know how to take care of myself. And I'm doing fine." She turned and continued walking.

"So you're not heartbroken from your boyfriend breaking up with you?" Logan asked, now trying to sound innocent. Marie stopped dead and turned to him questioningly. "And I don't mean Bobby."

"How…?" she found herself asking once more, yet somehow the answer was obvious.

"The guy tailing you told me for a few extra bucks," Logan said matter-of-factly. He started to walk to her. "Now what's this he tells me about a blond guy, real bad-ass looking, wounded that you've taken in?"

"Back off, Logan," Marie said sternly.

"I'm just looking out for you," he said softly, but as stern as her.

"Then look somewhere else," she said angrily, turning and walking away finally, without turning back anymore.

xXx

Marie opened the door to her apartment once more and walked inside. It was empty now, and the afternoon sun shone into it. She locked the door behind her.

Sure, she wasn't really that mad at Logan or Storm, only just about the being followed thing. But…other than that…nothing. John. John was her problem now. She had no idea where he was. Or whether he was alive. She just hoped he was.

Neither could she figure out if she did love him or not. He was there. He cared. He loved her. But at the moment, something in her told her she couldn't return the feeling. It was just too…hard. Too hard to believe that a person actually loved her and cared about and was willing to give up everything for her, because that person was the last person anyone would expect to do so.

And Magneto. _"Magneto won't like that I didn't agree to come back"_. The words of John echoed in her head. It gave her a bad feeling. That there was a chance Magneto would really hurt him. Even kill him, which she knew was entirely possible.

Then she entered her room, and found the picture of the two of them on the ground, half of it covered by her bed. In the two days of utter depression and constant thinking and analyzing, she'd forgotten entirely about everything else. She counted that she'd skipped two meals already, and on both nights slept at around two in the morning. She barely did anything she didn't have to do. Picking up the picture, she turned around and walked out the door, looking at their happiness. It either made her more sad, or a little happy. Either of which, she nearly jumped out of her skin as she looked up to see him.

Magneto was standing by the kitchen counter. He strode to her quickly and stood before her, looking at her with disgust.

"What is it about you that destroyed the best of warriors and the best of fighters I have ever had?" he asked her quietly. "There is no logical answer to that question, now is there?"

"What are you doing here?" she asked, somewhat indifferent. So what, was he going to kill her? She'd faced this before. One more encounter wouldn't hurt…much.

"He was the strongest I ever had. The best I'd ever trained. The most powerful. He had great things in store in his future. But somehow, he's given up all will and hope for that because of you."

"Oooh…and you don't like it, do you?" she asked. He circled her and looked deep in thought.

"You never were this brave before. You've lost him and suddenly nothing else matters, huh?"

"Life is short. No point being scared of death," she said.

She pulled a cabinet and pushed it at him, kicking him over the couch. The fridge flew infront of the door as she took a step forward. Turning on pure instinct, she ran into the room, and out the window, managing to get on the fire escape. She lived on the fifth floor, and obviously, getting down wouldn't take little time. She rushed down, knowing that she was on metal, his power. Then suddenly the screeching noise of metal sounded, and the bars of the railing grabbed at her foot. She jumped, but was pushed over the railing, and fell towards the ground, still on the third floor. Oh, as she forget to remember, there was an extra two floors, taken up by shops. So technically, still on the fifth floor. Then the iron of the railing grabbed her by one ankle and hung her upside down. Magneto walked down to her, and looked at her from above.

"Running never gets you anywhere," he said wisely, smiling with a bit of evil in his eyes.


End file.
